Mike Maillaro

KARNAK #6 – Starting with the “oldest” comic on this list. This issue was originally solicited for April 2016. Nice to see it finally hit shelves. The sad part is that this isn’t even the oldest comic on my shopping list. I still have a few issues of Bloodstrike from 2015 that were solicited but never released. I will assume they are never coming out… But about this comic, Ellis has been doing a great job with KARNAK, it’s just a shame how bad the release schedule has been on this book.

BLOOD BLISTER #1 – Phil Hester and Tony Harris on the same book is definitely something I have to give a look. Not 100% sure what this one is about, but Aftershock puts out a lot of comics I enjoy. “Sin is a joke to Brandon Hull. Morality a crutch for the weak, laws mere tools to be abused. But when the corruption he scoffed at begins to manifest on his once-perfect body, Hull finds himself cast into a hidden world of unspeakable horror from which there is no escape. How can you be saved when the evil possessing you is your own soul? Opening a jarring window on to a world of horror.”

VAMPIRELLA #0 – Dynamite’s four attempt at finding a way to get a VAMPIRELLA series going. This issue is only a quarter, so it’s worth checking out. Personally, I think Dynamite has done a great job with VAMPIRELLA, but it just seems like there isn’t much of an audience, unfortunately. This time they are setting her story in the far future and putting Paul Cornell on the book.

LETTER 44 #1 (1 Dollar Edition) – Love this series, so it’s great to see them rereleasing the first issue for only a buck. LETTER 44 is about the discovery of an alien race not that far from Earth and how the world would react to such a thing. It’s pretty dark and disturbing at times, but an excellent read.

UNSTOPPABLE WASP #2 – WASP was the sleeper book of last month. I loved this comic so much I insisted my wife and daughter read it, and they loved it too. The new Wasp had a shaky start in her various appearances around the Marvel universe, but in her own book, she’s been terrific. MUST BUY!

WILL EISNER’S THE SPIRIT: THE CORPSE-MAKERS #1 – I actually hadn’t read a lot of SPIRIT, but I did enjoy Dynamite’s relaunch. Was hoping for a sequel for a while, and we finally got it!

MONSTERS UNLEASHED #2 – I am usually pretty harsh with Marvel’s events, but I actually enjoyed MONSTERS UNLEASHED’s first issue. It seems to be fairly self-contained and doesn’t seem to be trying to do much more than just be a fun “heroes fight monsters” story. Marvel needs to have more fun with their big events. Hoping this one continues in that direction.

BATMAN #16 – After a two issue Catwoman arc, Bane returns to the spotlight. I didn’t love the “I am suicide” arc, but Tom King is usually really good. Hopefully he can make Bane interesting again. He’s been so inconsistent since KNIGHTFALL (though I did like him in SECRET SIX a lot). It’s a real shame that no one seems sure what to do with what should be a great Batman villain.

A&A THE ADVENTURES OF ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG #12 – Another Valiant series going on hiatus. BOO! Archer and Armstrong are always great. Hopefully this will be a short hiatus like X-O MANOWAR. And like I say all the time, BRING BACK SHADOWMAN!!

Previews #341

Josie And The Pussycats #4

Flintstones #8

Green Arrow #16

Green Lanterns #16

Nightwing #14

Super Powers #4

Superman #16

Back To The Future #16

Uncle Scrooge #23

Invincible #132

Paper Girls #11

All-New X-Men #1.MU

All-New X-Men #18

Avengers #4

Champions #5

Deadpool And The Mercs For Money #8

Hawkeye #3

Moon Knight #11

Nova #3

Old Man Logan #17

Spider-Man 2099 #20

Star Wars #28

Star Wars Darth Maul #1 (Of 5)

Unbelievable Gwenpool #11

Faith #8

James Fulton: Oldest thing on my list right now is Bendis and Oeming’s United States of Murder Inc. Annual, from May 2015. I’m glad I’m not the only one who knows stuff like this.

Maillaro: I am a total nerd who keeps lists of everything. My Google Drive has list of comics coming out this week. List of comics solicited but not yet released. List of comics I want to read at some point. List of Doctor Who serials I have not seen yet. List of Stephen King books I have not reread yet. Lists of columns I’d like to write someday. And on and on.

John Babos

8 books this week.

A&A Adv. of Archer & Armstrong #12 – the end is nigh. It was a good run.

Cyborg #9 – Very curious who the adversary is masquerading as his dad.

Death of Hawkman #5 – Enjoying the story and art. I wonder how Hawkwoman will shake things up?

Detective Comics #934 – Simply one of the best DC books on shelves.

Fall & Rise of Captain America #2 – Will Captain Atom’s new costume debut as he’s thrown back in time?

Green Arrow #16 – Ollie murderer? On the run!

Green Lanterns #16 – Batman!

Superman #16 – Very much enjoying this Multiversity revisit. Surprised it ends with the third issue of the arc, but its been fun a ride and read.

James Fulton

Batman #16 – Batman has been pure fire these last few months. Let’s hope that the return of David Finch on art doesn’t dump a bucket of water on things.

Paper Girls #11 – Yay for more Paper Girls! This is a terrific series.

Planetoid: Praxis #1 – I really like the first Planetoid series by Ken Garing, even if it was Karnak-levels of late. His art is great, and it was a good sci-fi title. I’m ready for more.

The Walking Dead #163 – First, it only costs a quarter. Second, the last issue ended with thousands of walkers being herded towards Alexandria. I’m sure not all of our favourite characters will survive this one.

I want to point out that I was going to enthusiastically buy Bullseye #1, which is being written by Ed Brisson, who I think is fantastic. The problem is that Marvel decided to add a back-up story by Marv Wolfman to this comic after it was solicited, and then up the price by a dollar. I was still going to get it, but then Marvel also decided to do away with their digital codes for the issue, and suddenly, I didn’t want to spend so much money on this series anymore, even though I think that Brisson on Bullseye is a great idea. Way to go Marvel, because now I’m passing…

Matt Graham

Josie and the Pussycats #4 – Long tails and ears for hats. In Rome. Against diamond thieves.

Vampirella #0 – Dynamite has been interesting in 2016. In the beginning of the year, Vampirella and Red Sonja were given a practical makeover in the outfit department, and we were treated to some great comics care of Kate Leth (Vampirella) and Marguerite Bennett (Red Sonja). The content and characters didn’t even change, as violent and sex charged as ever. Now both titles have been relaunched with new creative teams and new directions while reverting to their classic outfits. I’d love to know why the redesigns were reverted already
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Amy Chu and Carlos Gomez threw Red Sonja into our present day to mix things up, and it looks like Paul Cornell and Jimmy Broxton are bringing Vampirella to 3016. That’s something I need to see.

Paper Girls #11 – Paper Girls is back! With the girls reunited in the far flung future and plenty of timeline threads still to be untangled, I can only hope this next five issues doesn’t breeze by as quickly as the last 2 “seasons”.

All-New X-Men #18 – The Inhumans vs X-Men mandatory tie-ins haven’t been bad, but this is mainly to complete my run. Thanks to Marvel’s marketing schemes, I’m waiting for this book to end so I can get on with X-Men: Blue until that’s ditched for something shiny in a year’s time.

Hawkeye #3 – Haven’t enjoyed Hawkeye this much since the original run. Even made me dip back into Marvel Heroes on PC to prestige my own Kate.

Unbelievable Gwenpool #11 – The one thing even Marvel can’t take seriously

About The Author

Michael Skitch Maillaro

Mike Maillaro is a lifelong Jersey Boy and geek. Mike has been a comic fan for more than 20 years from when his mom used to buy him Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Adventures at our local newsstand. Thanks, Mom!!
He's the husband of the world's hottest Trekkie/Whovian, and father of a perfect five year old girl who likes to make up songs about Captain America. We also have two twins, who are more interested in learning how to walk and talk then comics. But we love them anyway.